The Forbidden Texts
by Lesiloo
Summary: When Giles unearths a forbidden collection from the Watcher Diaries, he discovers a way to bring Buffy back... but at what cost? (Post-"The Gift")
1. Chapter One

The Forbidden Texts  
  
"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the Dewey Decimal system works." Giles finished with a flourish. The seven year olds that were scattered about his feet on the library floor applauded. "Now, your teacher will give you a card with which you may sign out no more than two books."  
"Mr. Giles?" a blonde girl near the back raised her hand. Giles noticed the deep blue of her eyes. Almost like Buffy's were... had been. Giles shook the thought from his mind.   
"Yes?"  
"Where are the Babysitter's Club books?" she gave a shy smile. Giles waved toward the paperback section. "Thank you."  
"Yes." Giles watched the youngster scamper off in that direction. About to gather his briefcase and leave, he was stopped by a tap on the shoulder. He turned to see Willow grinning at him.  
"Back to the good ol' days, huh, Giles?" she kidded.   
"Yes, well," Giles began. "While being in a library does bring back only the fondest of memories, I must attest that these children do not."  
"They're good kids." Willow winced as a young boy tore the table of contents out of an old dictionary. "Thanks for helping us out today."  
"You're most welcome," Giles adjusted his glasses. "Judging by the record crowd at Sunnydale Public Library, your day camp is doing well?"  
"Yeah, I guess so," Willow shrugged. "But 'Willow's Educational Day Camp' is nothing compared to 'Fun Time Summer Day Fest'."  
"It's all in the name, really." Giles sympathized. He looked down at his watch, noting that it was almost dinner time. "I should be going, Willow. It's been fun."  
"Sure, thanks again, Giles." Willow said. Giles was about to leave when the young blonde girl ran up to him.   
"Mr. Giles! Mr. Giles!" she shrieked. Giles knelt down to her level.  
"Whatever is the matter?" he asked exasperatedly. The girl held out a weathered text, and pointed at the spine of the book.  
"This one doesn't have a call number." She reported. Amazingly, some of Giles' lecture seemed to have gotten through to her. She could certainly have a career as a future librarian.  
"Let me see," Giles took the book from her. He read the title, recognizing it as an old English poetry collection. As he opened the cover, however, a thinner, older manual fell to the ground. Giles picked it up, and scrawled on the first page, he read the following words:  
  
The Watcher Diaries ~ Forbidden Texts  
  
"Willow," Giles was almost speechless. "Can I have a moment?"  
"Uh, sure," Willow gave Giles an odd look. She turned to the little girl. "Stacy, can you go find me that book I told you about? The Cat in the Hat?"  
"Yes, ma'am," Stacy ran off again. Willow turned to Giles, who still looked rather shocked.  
"Giles?" she questioned. Giles turned the book over to her. After scanning the title, Willow gasped. "Is this for real?"  
"It's been talked about." Giles explained. "The Council, er, censored the original Watcher Diaries for... content... leaving out the most dangerous, and effectively the most potentially crucial texts."  
"But why?" Willow interrupted. A sharp look from Giles silenced her.  
"Most Watcher's, however, frowned upon the censorship, arguing that the material in the texts could be useful to future Slayers." He continued. "Thus, they kept the forbidden volumes hidden from the Council. To this day, no one knows where they exist."  
"But this is just a tiny book." Willow protested. "There's no way all of this supposed information could be in here."  
"Surely a practicing Wicca should know of condensing spells." Giles chided. Willow blushed, realizing her oversight. Giles continued. "I've got to get this home, and look over it. As soon as you're done here, come to my place. Bring Xander as well."  
"Okay, but Xander's with Anya, they're looking at wedding stuff." Willow reminded the Watcher. "She'll want to come."  
"She can't," Giles said firmly. "Whatever is contained in this book is of the utmost confidentiality. And, well, Anya has a certain bluntness about her that could get all of us in a lot of danger if she said anything. She mustn't know about it, and nor should Tara."  
"But-" Willow protested ineffectively.  
"Willow, there may be something in this book that pertains to Buffy." Giles said gently. "Surely, you don't want anything... bad... to happen before we figure it out. Prudence and secrecy are necessary from this point on."  
"Alright," Willow gave in. "I'll be by as soon as I can."  
"See you then." Giles turned to leave the library. Willow grabbed his shoulder to stop him.  
"Giles, do you really think there might be something in there to help her?" Willow's eyes shone with unshed tears.  
"If there is, we'll find it." Giles promised. "One way or another."  
  
*  
  
Spike watched as Xander and Willow hurried up the walk to Giles' apartment, and rushed inside when the door was opened.  
"Well, well, well," he smiled to himself. "There are games afoot."  
It had been a long six weeks since the final confrontation with Glory. Six weeks in which Spike had secluded himself in his crypt, not socializing with anyone, let alone the Scooby Gang. Boredom, however, had gotten the best of him. As luck would have it, the night he chose to drag his sorry fangs out of hiding was when there appeared to be some fun to be had.   
"We'll see about this." He strode up the walk, and knocked confidently on Giles' door. It opened a crack, and Willow's nose poked out.  
"Who's there?"  
"The bloody Easter Bunny," Spike replied sarcastically. "Who in Hell do you think it is?"  
"Hold on." The door slammed shut. Spike listened to the conversation on the other side of the door.  
"Giles, it's Spike." Willow announced in a hushed voice.   
"What does he want?" Xander asked cockily.   
"Tell him to go away." Giles instructed. The door opened once more, and Spike smiled widely.  
"Just in the neighborhood, and thought I'd stop by and see if my good friend Giles had any blood in the fridge, that's all." He explained to Willow, who obviously didn't buy it.   
"Sorry, fresh out." She smiled weakly. Spike stepped forward a bit, which caused Willow to leap back a few inches in surprise.  
"Look," he said, leaning in the doorway. "I saw you lot rushing in here, and I figured something's up. Your Hellmouth has been a crashing bore lately, so I thought I'd see if I can be of service."  
"Hold on." Willow closed the door again, and again Spike listened in. "Giles, he just wants to help."  
"He can help by falling on a stake." Xander's sarcasm could sometimes rival Spike's own.   
"Willow, do you remember what I said about 'utmost secrecy', not three hours ago?" Giles sounded flustered, which intrigued Spike even more.  
"Giles, you have no idea what we could be dealing with." Willow argued. "Spike, on the other hand, was alive when this happened. He may have some creepy vampire insight."  
"Ooo, that's the best kind." Xander rolled his eyes. There was a pause, followed by a reluctant sigh from the Watcher.  
"She may be right," he said through clenched teeth. "Let him in."  
"Fine." Willow opened the door widely enough for Spike to enter. He hesitated at the threshold. Giles had apparently un-invited him over the past month and a half. Willow noticed his pause. "Oh, uh... I invite you in."  
"No deal, duck," Spike reminded her. "You don't live here."  
"Giles?" Willow looked back to see Giles glaring at the vampire. He sighed again, and then spoke.  
"Come on in."  
  
*  



	2. Chapter Two

*  
  
Giles scowled as Spike rooted through the refridgerator, searching for a pint of blood that he swore was still there.  
"As long as it's keeping him busy." Xander pointed out, noticing Giles' sour look. He turned to Willow. "So, what have we got?"  
"I can't get it open." She surrendered the book back to the coffee table. "Whoever enchanted this book had a lot more power than I do."  
"The Council had quite a few practiced witches at their disposal, I'm afraid." Giles told the group.   
"And I guess going to them is out of the question." Xander concluded.   
"What about your other Watcher friend?" Spike asked, having returned unsuccessful from his search. "Leslie, was it?"  
"Wesley." Giles corrected, considering the possibility. "Well, he was in contact with the Council a lot more recently than I've been."  
"Can we trust him, Giles?" Willow asked worriedly.   
"Oh, I'm sure we can." Giles assured her. "He's been in Los Angeles with Angel for quite some time. Helping, and what-not."  
"Oo, maybe Angel could help, too." Willow blurted out. "He's all big with the info, right?"  
"Right, real good idea." Spike scoffed. "Get the help of a vampire that could go bad at any second. Yeah, right."  
"Spike, you're a moron." Xander spoke up.  
  
*  
  
"Willow!" came an unecessarily loud scream from the second storey of the Summer's house. "I'm going!"  
"What?" Willow looked up from the spellbook that she had been searching through. "Where?"  
"Out with my friends." Dawn appeared on the staircase. Her newly-shortened hair swung around as the young girl headed for the door. Willow sprinted from her spot, barely stopping Dawn from taking off.  
"Where are you going, and what time are you going to be back?" Willow asked more sternly.   
"To the mall, and before dark." she recited dutifully. "I promise."  
"Good. Was that so hard?" Willow smiled.   
"No, but you wouldn't have noticed I was gone if I hadn't said anything." Dawn chided. "What are you looking up anyway?"  
"Nothing important." Willow lied. "Get going or you're gonna miss your friends."  
"Okay, thanks Will." Dawn turned to leave, but paused halfway out the door. "Oh, I almost forgot. Can you dye my hair for me?"  
"Dawn," Willow started, but Dawn cut her off with a sad look.  
"Please?" she begged. Willow gave in, and ran her hand over Dawn's hair, turning it almost the identica color to her own. "Thanks, Will!"  
"No problem." Willow smiled as Dawn hurried out the door, slamming it behind her. Ever since Buffy had died, Willow had become Dawn's surrogate sister.   
After a long legal proceeding, custody had been given to Dawn's father. However, since he was never around, it was basically up to the Scooby Gang to take care of her, which was just fine with all parties concerned. Dawn was doing well in school, and Willow had been teaching her beginner witch-stuff on the side.  
"I hope we can get her back for you." Willow sighed. After a short pause, she returned to her spellbook, searching for something that could unlock the Forbidden Texts, and maybe bring back Buffy for good.  



	3. Chapter Three

*  
  
"I love the sun." Buffy smiled as the warmth spread across her bedroom. She jumped out of bed, and threw open the window. There was a soft breeze, just enough to make her hair dance around her face. She breathed in deeply, and smiled again. "Good morning, sun."  
"Good morning yourself." came a giggly voice from her door. Buffy turned around, and saw her mother, still clad in her blue flannel pajamas.   
"Mommy!" Buffy cried happily. She ran over and gave Joyce a good morning hug. "Did you sleep well?"  
"Wonderfully, Buffy." Joyce embraced her daughter. "I thought we could go out for breakfast. You know the place."  
"Of course!" Buffy exclaimed. "Can we go right away?"  
"As soon as we're dressed." Joyce smiled, and tapped Buffy on the nose before retreating to her own bedroom. Buffy walked over to her closet, and opened it to find all of her favorite outfits clean and ironed. After a few seconds of deliberation, she chose a pair of light khakis and a white shirt. She went downstairs to find   
oyce dressed similarly.  
"Ready to go?" Joyce asked, extending her arm.  
"Always." Buffy linked her arm through her mother's, and they walked out the door. Together.  
  
*  
  
"Expandum!" Willow cried exasperatedly, daring the book to stay closed. A small puff of smoke raised from the cover, but the book remained dormant. "Damnit!"  
"Give it a rest, Will." Xander spoke up from his perch on the arm of Giles' couch. "It's getting smoke-y in here."  
"Sorry." Willow replied sheepishly. "I'm just getting a little impatient."  
"No need for that." Giles strode into the room, a cup of tea in hand. "I just talked to Wesley, and he had quite a bit of information."  
"Do tell." Xander mocked Giles' accent, receiving a harsh glare in return.   
"Apparently, upon acceptance into the Council, Wesley was trained by one of the Watchers that compiled the Forbidden Texts." Giles explained. "Upon Wesley's transfer to America, his trainer told him of the book, and how to open it."  
"Well?" Willow jumped in. Giles put up his hand to silence her.  
"Evidently, it's not sealed by magic at all." he revealed. "Rather, it's a puzzle contrived by the three Watcher's that made it."  
"Great." Xander threw up his hands. "Brain work in the middle of July. Thank you, Council Guys."  
"Really, Xander," Giles shook his head. "Are you really going to complain about somethig of this importance?"  
"Plus, I'm Brain-Girl, right?" Willow chirped up more positively. "So, what's the puzzle?"  
"Wesley told me that in order to discover the secret of the book, you had to..." Giles paused.  
"What?" Xander asked impatiently. Giles sighed.  
"Well, it sounds rather absurd, but you must sleep with it under your pillow." he explained. Willow giggled.  
"So the Book Fairy can come in the middle of the night, and give you a nickle?" she joked.  
"Well," Giles hesitated. "Precisely."  
"No way." Xander stood up. "The freaking Watcher's Council came up with the Book Fairy? To protect a forbidden book of danger? Ask me why I don't feel a hundred percent safe right now."  
"I'm sure there's more to it than that, but we've got to start somewhere." Giles replied. "Willow, I suppose it should be you that sleeps with the book tonight."  
"Her? She's like the Princess and The Pea." Xander pointed out.   
"He's right, Giles." Willow nodded. "You should do it."  
"Alright, fine then." Giles said. A glance at his watch told him that it was near midnight already. "I'll see you two first thing in the morning, then."  
"G'night." Willow gathered her things. She and xander headed for the door.  
"Hey, G-Man?" Xander paused. Giles looked up.  
"What?" he asked.  
"Sweet dreams."  
  
* 


End file.
